Chrome's user share is now closing in on 17% while FF's has slipped to 23%. And it's done this in half the time it took Mozilla to achieve the same results. In my view, Chrome will soon surpass Firefox as a more elegant, simple (and most folks want simple and basic) browser tied into an ecosystem of Google services.

Today, for some reason, I decided to use Chrome. I checked the version, and it was checking for updates. Next, it was installing the updates. I don't like the fact that Chrome does not show any progress, and, after waiting about ten minutes, being unable to do anything, I clicked on ok, in the about:chrome. The popup went away, but I was getting nowhere with website surfing. It seems that surfing, and updating, even checking for updates are not compatible. Finally, after fifteen minutes, I noticed that there were nine chrome.exe items in the Task Manager. I closed all but the two largest one, but two more opened. Somehow the installation completed, and my choice was to restart Chrome or not. I chose to restart it, but it would not do it in a timely fashion. I was able to open Firefox, and and some minor surfing, till Chrome reappeared, with four chrome.exe items. They total less than a Firefox, and I don't know if it means anything to have so many. One thing is certain. Firefox is slowed down by the Chrome antics. So, Chrome is at v.17! I have not liked Firefox, very much, since its attempt to keep up with the Chrome v. number. I don't like updates in the background, but it is an unbelievable pain to attempt to use Chrome, and update it . P.S: I started the updated Chrome, and it has nine chrome.exe items. Beats me why, but my close some of the processes must have slowed down Chrome. The largest one is 41MB, and they total about 150 MB, much more than any Firefox. And, it took me only about twenty minutes to be able to use it.

Pretty much the same here... a very smooth auto-updating. The truth is - I'm unaware of the fact that it has updated and that's perfectly fine with me.

I think it boils down to how we view the browser. To me... the browser is just a window to where I want to go. It's not the important thing. It's not the end of the destination but a means to it. I want it "out of the way" and not bothering me. That's why I don't want a bunch of themes nor do I want a bunch of extensions other than the very few (three) that I keep solely for purposes of displaying a safe, clean website. Chrome does this admirably. And it does it quickly, safely and without a lot of fanfare. I honestly believe that Chrome will soon surpass Firefox as the second most-used browser.

I'm making a prediction. With the excellent updates to gmail and the many services provided by Google (i.e. groups, social networking, search, email, calendar, browser, etc.), many are going to leave FF/TB and migrate in that direction. We're going to be left with the MS folks (IE/Outlook/Hotmail/Windows Live Mail), the Google folks (Chrome/Gmail), the Mozilla crowd (FF/TB) and the very small minority who insist on staying with suites (i.e. Opera, Seamonkey, etc.) along with the Apple crowd.

And I see Google as being the ultimate winner in this due to the proliferation of Android which will tie in nicely with the above.

I personally do not hate the ecosystem of products (or ‘vertical integration’ of products that Don likes to refer to). Apple does a great job on providing different products that work together nicely (to Don's dismay).

My guess on the hurdle for Chrome to steal Firefox users: many of the Firefox users are die hard supporters.Some open source supporters/extremists have very strong opinion on advertisments. (Google's services come with advertisement.)Some open source supporters/extremists although self-claimed they aren't into any particular brand, they pay a lot of attentions on the brand, and avoid certain brands at all cost. Google is one of the very few big companies gain the support from those group, but not enough for them to fully embracing Google's offerings.Some open source supporters/extremists would try to avoid ‘vertical integration’, yet, many of those do not mind the integrated solutions from Mozilla.

To sum it up, for certain groups, it's like politics or even religion: it's hard to change (certain) people's mind, no matter how good the competitive products are.